PAN BABY (AKA DUTCH BABY AKA DUTCH PANCAKE)

Topped with plain yogurt, banana, walnuts, and maple syrup.

This dish goes by many names, but my family always called it Pan Baby. It’s basically a giant popover. Every Sunday, for as long as I can remember, my mom makes a pan baby for breakfast, served with an assortment of fruit sauces, syrup, yogurt, etc. It was such a hit that my friends would even time overnights at my house to ensure they’d get pan baby for breakfast. I sort of held my breath the first time I gave it to Augie, hoping he’d love it as much as I do. Thankfully….he DOES. I am already excited to make pan babies for him and all his pals one day!

Sure, this puffy, golden, crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside, dreamy breakfast is delicious and beautiful… but, most of all, it reminds me of all the warm, cozy, and fun family times gathered around the breakfast table. 

Plain, puffy, and ready to top with whateva you want!

An up close look at the crispy top and soft insides. Also, does this syrup cause anxiety for anyone else? Just me?

Here’s the recipe, straight from my mama Sharon.

PAN BABY (AKA DUTCH BABY AKA DUTCH PANCAKE)

[Serves 2-4]
Prep time: 5 minutes
Laze around time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour (you can use ap, whole wheat, gluten free blends, or a combination of these)

1 cup milk (any type will work — I usually use unsweetened almond or cashew milk)

5 large eggs (some people say room temp eggs make it even puffier, but honestly I never remember to use room temp and it comes out pretty darn puffy!)

2 tablespoons butter or oil (salted butter is my fave because you get a hint of saltiness paired with sweet toppings, but coconut oil is also delicious)

HOW TO

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.

Combine flour and milk in a large bowl and beat until smooth with a hand mixer or whisk.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating/whisking until smooth between each addition. Alternatively, you can add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, about 5 seconds at a time scraping the sides and bottom 1-2 times to make sure all flour is incorporated.

Add the butter or oil to the skillet in the oven and allow to heat in the oven for a couple minutes.

Once the butter has melted, open the oven door, slide out the oven rack enough to reach the pan, and pour in the batter. Immediately close oven door.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F (without opening the oven!) and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the pan baby is golden brown and very puffy. NOTE: do not open the oven until you're ready to take the pan baby out or it will lose its puffiness!